Love And Compassion For All Parents Who Have Lost A Child

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Posted by: Steve Hardwick
Date: Nov 30 2017 10:17 AM

To Every Parent Who Has Lost A Child

Last July I was in the middle of a Cake Fundraiser for a child with cancer and I’m sad to say she didn’t overcome her deadly disease.
I don’t remember if I had just received the news or not on this particular day that she had died But what I do remember....As I was walking to my chair I said to myself I’m tired of people forgetting about these beautiful children who are no longer with us.
It’s Time We All Remember Them !!

And that is where the Angel Of Hope Statue idea all began

In four months which was unbelievable
The Angel Of Hope Statue was at Westgate Park and inscribed on the back are these words:

ALL OUR CHILDREN LOVED, MISSED AND REMEMBERED

And most would probably think that was the end of my story..
That was the beginning of a story I never imagined I’d ever witness
AND
ITS NOT ABOUT ME AT ALL ...IT IS ALL ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF PARENTS I HAVE SINCE MET AND HAVE BECOME TO KNOW VERY WELL WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD AND IN SOME CASES MORE THAN ONE CHILD AND IN SOME CASES THEY LOST THEIR ONLY CHILD.

So many times I have sat and listened to a parent tell me all about their child. So many times I have sat and watched mothers crying and fathers crying as they told me how wonderful their child was.

So many times I have sat across from a parent who has lost a child and watched them smiling and laughing about something not pertaining to their child and silently I said to myself behind that smile was a broken hearted parent just trying to survive another damn day.

I’m a parent of 3 healthy children that I Thank God for every single day
I own a Flooring store
So what qualifies me to be one of the ones that all these parents come to to tell me their story?

Only one thing qualifies me to be someone they want to talk to ...

I UNDERSTOOD VERY QUICKLY THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE PARENTS ARE SO AFRAID THAT THEIR PRECIOUS CHILD WILL BE FORGOTTEN !!!!!

So many times I have been told that God chose me to do something for these parents..
I honestly shiver when I hear that because why would God choose me? I’m not perfect by any means and I have many faults.
To carry that responsibility of being the one God chose is,to be honest, more than I can bare.
But the responsibility that I can accept is...
I have a Huge Heart that God gave me to use and I truly LOVE good people.
To many Love doesn’t come easy..
But to me when I see these grieving parents and the pictures of their beautiful children..the love and compassion in my heart overflows for them.
Like most men I’m a fixer...I want to make others lives so much better
But I can not fix a grieving parent
You can not fix a grieving parent
Don’t Even Try

Have you ever heard the song
How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?
If the heart has been broken from the loss of a child
YOU CAN’T MEND IT
But
YOU CAN SOOTHE IT!!!
How?
By just listening
By asking them about their child
And
By hugging them as they cry over the loss of their child

Some may ignorantly say...

WHY ARE THEY STILL CRYING?
THEIR CHILD DIED YEARS AGO

If you are reading this....
Please Never Say That To A Grieving Parent

And guess what?
Those things that qualify me to talk to a grieving parent ARE the same things in each of you that also qualifies you to talk to a grieving parent
LOVE AND COMPASSION

It has taken me awhile to learn this
But Listen Mostly

They just want you to know one thing

“ THAT MY CHILD DID EXIST “

So....
to every parent that has lost a child
I will gladly listen to you any day of your choosing and I bet many others will too 🤗

Hope to see you at the Angel Of Hope Candlelight Vigil On December 6th at 7PM

AND YES
I LOVE EVERY ONE OF YOU
Steve Hardwick